Harbor



Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,612

' R. L. MCINTOSH HEATING APPARATUS FOR ROLLS Filed Inlay 13. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 25, 1924 R. L. MCINTOSH HEATING APPARATUS FOR ROLLS Plled May 13. y1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV. 25

R. L. MCINTOSH HEATING APPARATUS Fon ROLLS lll/11n abeljf? @7% @y @www Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES' ROBERT L. MCINTOSH, OF INDIANA HARBOR, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO INLAND STEEL 1,516,612 PATENT OFFICE.

COMPANY, OF INDIANA HAR-BOR, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

HEATING- AFPARATUS FOR ROLLS.

Application :filed May 13,

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. MoINTosH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Indiana Harbor, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Heating Apparatus for Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, more particularly, to heating apparatus for preheating, by the use of electric current, the rolls of rolling mills, to condition the rolls for rolling relatively wide, narrow gage, sheets, without requiring the rolling of narrow, heavy gage, sheets; and my primary object is to provide a novel and simple construction of electric heating apparatus for the purpose, which will be highly effective in operation and by which the rolls may be preheated, in a comparatively short time, to the desired temperature for rolling wide, narrow gage, sheets and injury to the rolls from foundry7 strains therein will be reduced to the minimum.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a rolling mill equipped with means for preliminarily heating the rolls in accordance with my'invention. Figure 2 is a section taken at the irregular lines 2 2 on Fig. 1

and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a broken enlarged sectional view taken at the line 3 3 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 1 is an enlarged plan sectional view taken at the line 4- 4 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows. Figure 5 is a plan sectional view taken at the line 5 5 on Fig. 2

and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a face view of one of the plurality of electrical heating units forming portions of my improved apparatus, with certain portions thereof broken away to disclose interior details. Figure 7 is a section taken at the line 7 7 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the direction of the' arrows; and Figure 8, a section taken at the line 8 8 on Fig. G and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

As a premise to the following description it may be stated that my improved apparatus is preferably employed for preliminarily heating the pair of cooperating rolls used for rolling the sheets, throughout their cross-section and substantially throughout the length of the main body portions of the 1922. serial No. 560,552.

rolls, preferably to a temperature of about 300O F. at their peripheries at a point midway between their ends thereby to cause the rolls to be conditioned for properly rolling sheets of relatively great width and thin gage.

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to a rolling mill of common construction and involving generally stated a framework affording the uprights 9 spaced apart in which the necks 10 of the two rolls 11 one of which superposes the other, are journaled, the ends of the rolls 11 being adapted for connection therewith of wabblers through the medium of which these rolls are driven. It may be here stated that according to common practice the lower roll is ot' true cylindrical form, and the periphery of that portion of the upper roll which is contacted by the sheet-forming bars in the rolling operation, is circumferentially slightly concaved in order that these rolls shall properly function to produce sheets of uniform thickness throughout their extent, after the rolls have become properly heated.

This invention is an improvement on the invention of David P. Thompson which is shown and described in his copending application, Serial No. 560,549, filed on even date with this application, and the construction herein shown and described is therefore claimed in its broader aspects of novelty in that application rather than in the present application.

The particular illust-rated embodiment of my invention comprises a housing for application to the pair of rolls, which is provided with a series of electrical heating elements positioned to contact with substantially the entire peripheries of the portions of the rolls between the necks thereof. The housing shown is formed of two similar sections 12 adapted tobe applied to the rolls from opposite sides thereof and be secured in place thereon. Each section is shown as Jformed of the elements 13, 141 and 15 in the form of angle-bars spaced apart lengthwise of the rolls, the upper ends of the elements 13, 14 and 15, as to each section, being -connected with a plate 16 and the lower ends with a plate 17 the plates 16 and 17 containing apertures, certain of which open through the margins of the plates, for receiving bolts 18 through the medium of which the housing sections are releasably secured in `position on the rolls. The lower ends ot the elements 13 and l5 are provided with legs 19 in which a shatt 2O carrying a roller 2l, is mounted, and 'the upH per ends ot the elements le and l5 are provided with upwardly-ente dinghandle-portions 22. Each of the housing' sections l2 also comprises a member, represented :it 28, of sheet-like form, this memlierbeiug preterably of tlexibl sheet-metal and. contoured to substantially conform to the contour of the portions ot the peripheries ot the rolle/ine; Which it opposes as shown in 2, llach member 23 is preferably rigidly secured, as by riveting, or otherwise, to those portions of the angleshaped elements 13, let and lli `which parallel the rolls, at the upper and lower portions of the members 23, but preferably disconnected trom the said elements at those portions thereof between horizontal planes passing through the cen ters of the rolls.

The electrical heating elements 'formingl a portion of each of; the sections l2, and shown asA of the common space-heater type, are represented at 2li. These heating elements which are interposed between the rolls and the members 23, contact with the peripheries of the rolls as rein'esented in Fig. 2 and are grouped in any desirable arrangement, as for example that shown wherein they extend in a direction lengthwise o't the rolls and in spaced relation to each other. llach heating` element provided at opposite ends with angle shaped brackets 2,5 which entend through openings 23a in the member 23, these brackets servingP as terminals for ments Yand through the medium ot Which these elements are electrically connected together in series, or; in parallel, as desired, and with any suitable source oit current supply. In the particular arrangement shown all ot the brackets 2o at one end oli the heating device are connected With one of the main line -current wires and all o'i the brackets at the other. end are connected with the other of the main line current Wires.

Each of the heating elements 21.1; is shown as comprising a metal casing 26, containing` a coil of any suitable electrical resistance Wire 27 extending` substantially the full lengt-h of the element and Wound about a core 28 ot mica, or any other suitable insu lating material, there being interposed be tween the bottom Wall 29 ot the 26 and the coil 27 a sheet 30 oit insulating material, as for example mica. il strip ot metal 31 directly underlies the upper Wall portion 32 of the casing 26 and has interposed between it and the coil 27 a sheetJ 33 of insulating material as 'for example mica. Each element 24 is provided at each end With an eyelet 3e which tlatwse bears at a shoulder-portion 35 thereof against the insulating strip 30 and extends through openings in the strips 3l and and cutout portions 36 in the upper portions 32 or the casing 26, these eyelets also extending through metal Washers 37 and through openings in the base portions of the brackets 25. A mica Washer 38 extends between each Washer 37 and the iron strip 3l, and the openings through the strip 3l are such size that the Walls thereorI are out ot contact with the eyelets Piet. Each eyelet 34: being in electrical Contact with the adjacent bracket 25, is in electrical `contact with one oi" the terminals ot the coil 27.

ln the particular construction illustrated means are provided whereby the sheet portions 28 may be bent into such form that the heating` elements 24t- Will. contact with the peripheries ot the rolls throughout substantially their entire extent as shown in Fig. 2, these means comprising` a U-bar 39 which entends at its cross-bar portion 40 against the outer surface of the sheet 23 and in a plane parallel with the axes of the rolls, the outer ends oit the arms of the yoke 39, and represented at 1l1, being` threaded and eX- tendinn through openings in a channel-bar 12 secured to, and extending crosswise of, the members 13, ll and l5, the threaded ends oi thc arms 41 being provided with pairs olf nuts e3 by means of which the desi led pressu re may be exerted and maintained against the sheeting' 23, through the yolres 39 t'or detori'ning' these sheetsiinto the desired shape as above stated, it being under stood that att-cr these sheets have once been deformed by adjusting the yokes 39 as stated to adapt them to rolls of a particular size, no tui-ther adjustment is required. In the use of the apparatus shown the sections l2 are applied to opposite sides of the assembled rolls to the position shown in Fig. 2, the provision oi the rollers 2l and the handle portions 22 serving to permit these sections to be YWheeled to the position for application to the rolls, after the manner ot a wheelbarrow. lVith the sections 12 in place on the rolls and the desired circuit connections made 'tor supivilying; current to the various heater elem-ents 24h the current permitted to pass through these elements. the heat generated thereby radiating into the rolls until the rolls are heated to the desired degree, as for example the temperature above specilied. lt has been found by actual demonstration that the rolls even when otthe largest dimensions( commonly used in rolling mill practice, may be heated to a degree sutlicient for the starting in ott the rolling of relatively Wide sheets of thin gage, and that such heating` may be effected in a relatively short length of time, and thus great economy of structure and in the operation of mills, is effected.

ilo

It has also been found in the actual practice of the invention that the heating up of the rolls in accordance with the invention, as explained, almost entirely eliminates the danger of fracturing the rolls during the initial heating up of the same, from foundry strains th-erein, the heating of the rolls as stated, and which it will be understood involves a relatively gentle application of heat, as compared with the heating of the rolls by forcing heat into the latter from relatively highly heated bars by friction of the bars therewith and by heat radiated therefrom, appearing to produce an action on the rolls in the nature of annealing.

lVhile l have described a certain particular apparatus embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of the invention.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. Apparatus for heating rolls of rolling mills, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a sheet like member carried by the frame, electrical heating elements positioned upon the sheet like member, and means for positioning the frame and member carried thereby adjacent thfe roll to be heated.

2, Apparatus for heating rolls of rolling mills, said apparatus comprising a supporting` frame, a sheet like member carried by the frame, electrical heat-ing elements positioned upon the sheet like member, means for positioning the frame and member carried thereby adjacent the roll to be heated and means for adj Listing the sheet like members to the roll contour.

r-'tpparatus for heating rolls of rolling mills, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a sheet like member secured to the frame said member having a convex face toward the frame, and means for flexing the sheet like member to conform substantially to the contour of a roll to be heated.

4i. Apparatus for heating rolls of rolling mills, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a sheet like member secured to the frame said member having a convex face toward the frame and secured to the frame throughout portion only7 of its extent, and means carried by the frame for flexing the sheet like member to conform substantially to the contour of a roll to be heated.

Apparatus adapted for heating a rolling mill roll in position in its housing, said apparatus comprising relatively movably sections adapted to be applied to the roll from opposite sides thereof, each section comprising a supcrting frame, sheet like members carried by the frame, electrical heating elements associated. with the inner faces of the sheet like members, the sheet like members conforming approximately to the contour of the roll to be heated, and means adapted to secure the sections together upon opposite sides of the roll.

6. Apparatus adapted for heating a pair of rolling mill rolls in position in their housing, said apparatus comprising relatively movable sections adapted to be applied to the rolls from opposite sides thereof, each section comprising a suporting frame, sheet like members carried by the frame, electrical heating elements associated with the inner faces of the sheet like members, the sheet like members conforming approximately to the contour of the rolls to be heated, means adapted to secure the sections together upon opposite sides of the rolls and means adapted to flex the sheet like members to bring them more close to the roll surfaces.

7. Rolling mill apparatus comprising rolls extending side by side, and electric-currentenergized heating means located at the peripheries of said rolls and conforming thereto substantially throughout the extent of said peripheries, said means comprising a sheet-like member substantially housing the rolls, and electrical heating elements associated therewith adjacent the peripheries of the rolls for heating the latter.

8. Rolling mill apparatus comprising rolls extending side by side, and electric-currentenergized heating means located at the peripheries of said rolls and conforming thereto substantially throughout the extent of said peripheries, said means comprising a sheet-like member substantially housing the rolls, and electrical heating elements associated therewith adjacent the peripheries of the rolls for heating the latter, said elements being located between said sheet-like member and said rolls and contacting with the latter.

9. Heating apparatus for rolls formed of relatively movable sections comprising electric-current-energized heating elements, adapted to be applied to the roll structure from opposite sides thereof, said sections being equipped with rollers adapting said sections to be wheeled into a position to be applied to the roll structure.

ROBERT L. MGINTOSH. 

